The School for Good and Evil: The Raven and the Rose (III)
by Epic Jay
Summary: Rose and Raven begin their story in the Woods. But where is the other? Who else is in here? Rose is left in a cottage where he makes friends with the flowers. Raven is found in Snow White's wicked stepmother's castle. Will they find their Happy Ever After? Or will their nemesis achieve their Never After? Join them in their third and final adventure!
1. Chapter 1:Rose

**\1/**  
 **Rose**

Rose tumbled out of the sky and he screamed as the trees beneath him got closer. He reached the first layer of trees and braced for impact, but the trees swished around him and he twisted to and fro until he slid down the trunks of the trees to the ground. He picked himself up and dusted off the dust he could. Surprisingly his white outfit was still white.

Rose looked around and found a short trail from where he stood that went into the Woods. He had two options: follow the trail and hope it leads to safety or not follow the trail in fear of a horrible beast.

Rose closed his eyes and focused anger at the Woods for bringing him in here so early. For tearing him away from his friends. For so rudely interrupting the Snow Ball. His finger glowed pink in the darkness and he began to follow the trail to face whatever was there.

Rose walked the short path and came to a clearing which Rose hesitantly entered into. The clearing had a cute little cottage in the center and beautiful flowers surrounded the front in elegant rows perfectly. This _had_ to be a trap, thought Rose. It was _too_ perfect.

Rose knelt down beside the shadows of the columbines near the path. He needed to know what this place was and he was going to put his trust in the plants.

Through feelings Rose asked the precious plant what this place was. He was returned with the impression that the cottage was for Rose, a boy who could feel for the plants. The place was his.

Still cautious that there was a trap _somewhere_ Rose approached the house. He glanced over his shoulder at the mass of flowers and hoped they were on his side. He placed his hand on the door and slowly opened it.

There was no one inside. There was a single bed, a table, a single chair, a fireplace, and a couple of cupboards. On the table was a lit candle. Rose saw a door to the back and slowly opened that. Outside the back was a flourishing vegetable garden.

Talking more to himself, since he was mostly alone, Rose said aloud, "Am I supposed to stay here? Where's Raven?"

A pumpkin plant reached out its vines and gently wrapped around Rose's hands and it seemed to say, _yes, stay with us. Help us grow. This place is rightly yours. The Woods left it for you._

Rose gently stroked the vines and the pumpkin plant shuttered with delight, "Then I shall stay. But my friend is in the Woods as well. Do any of you know anything about him? His name is Raven."

The pumpkin withdrew and shook. They knew nothing of Raven. Sadly, Rose returned to the cottage to look around a little bit better. The bed was a little firmer than he was used to, but he wasn't in a castle anymore. He would get used to it. He searched the cupboards and found a single plate, a single cup, a single fork, a single spoon, a single knife, and a single pot. Rose bit his bottom lip. He had no idea how to cook anything. He would manage, somehow.

First he was going to sleep. He tossed his nice clothes off and collapsed into the bed.

* * *

In the morning, Rose found a plain tunic hidden under the bed. He gently folded his white outfit and put it under the bed in its place. He put on the plain tunic and headed outside wondering about food.

Rose went back out to the back and asked about him eating. _All_ of the plants got excited, _Eat my fruits. Choose me. I would love to help you!_ He then asked what they knew about cooking.

The plants were silent for a moment before the eggplant thought up. He told Rose to take an eggplant, a tomato, a red pepper, oregano, and olives. Rose did and cooked a dish to the eggplants directions.

Rose found himself thinking how odd it was that these plants knew how to cook themselves. But to Rose's delight, they knew how to cook delicious meals.

Following Rose's meal he sat in the vegetable garden spending time with the plants. They had been suddenly brought here as well as Rose. The chives missed their garden with a sweet elderly woman who sang to them. The tomatoes missed their family with a little girl and a little boy who would play tag around the gardens. The cucumber, on the other hand, was glad to be here. They had been brought up in a tough household where they were neglected most of the time and then the old man would blame the cucumbers for not producing much.

Rose spent time with all of the vegetables and when they showed him where the well was he gave each of them a shower which they all thoroughly enjoyed. When he had spent most of the morning with the vegetables, he ate a quick lunch of a salad and he moved on to the flowers up front who all pined for his attention saying it wasn't fair how much time he had spent in the back.

Rose eased their pleads of unfairity and told them he would try to spend time with all of them. They only started to calm down when he began to shower them.

After watering the flowers the sun was low and Rose was getting tired. But he was incredibly happy being with all of these plants. He went back to the back and asked about a final meal for the day which the pumpkins urged him to make a soup from their fruits. He thanked them, made the soup, and drifted back to sleep wondering where Raven was.


	2. Chapter 2:The Hungry Little Caterpillar

**\2/**  
 **The Hungry Little Caterpillar**

Rose tumbled out of bed to begin the routine he was beginning with the plants. Eat breakfast then water and talk with the vegetables. Eat lunch then water and talk with the flowers. It was simple and Rose enjoyed it greatly.

A couple of days passed with this routine. The plants loved Rose and Rose loved the plants. He was beginning to think he could live here forever with them.

But upon this day, a dove swooped low and as Rose ducked from the bird flew in through the door Rose had left open. Rose hurried into the cottage and apologized to the plants and promised he would be back soon.

Rose hurried into the cottage where the bird was perched on the table. She dropped two envelopes and then took flight again.

Mail? How had the bird even found him? Rose looked at the two envelopes and guessed who they were from. The night before the Snow Ball Rose had finally sent a letter to his parents explaining about the school. How he had to be enrolled in the princess classes. How Raven had asked him out to the Snow Ball. How Rose didn't know how to feel about Raven.

Rose slowly opened the first envelope and as he read through a letter his parents had sent he started to cry. They totally disowned him. He was no longer welcome back at their castle. Rose tossed the letter filled with other tremendous insults onto the table and dared not read the other one. He went back outside to the plants who sullenly went quiet and Rose went back to watering them. Occasionally the more impertinent plant would strike up a conversation with Rose as he watered it and Rose obliged and spoke with it as the other plants tried to hush the rogue.

Rose skipped lunch, to the vegetables' dismay, and went directly to watering the flowers. Most of the flowers were too self-absorbed to notice or care about Rose's mood. They complained about the heat of the sun and requested to be moved closer to the trees as they do every day.

Rose still would not comply.

After watering the flowers Rose headed back to the vegetables for some quiet. The sun was setting and he laid down beside the pumpkin plants and stared up at the sky. As the sky darkened and the stars came out Rose began thinking of the night He and Raven had stayed out late one night and stargazed. An emptiness filled his heart. He missed him.

Rose's stomach rumbled. An apple tree shook itself and an apple dropped from its branches. One of its roots bumped it and urged it towards the vegetables. Aiding the tree, the vegetables passed the apple from one to another until it reached Rose. Rose felt the nudge of the apple and looked over at it and smiled at the plants. The pumpkins urged him to eat it.

Rose took a bit out of it, despite his lack of appetite. He looked back at the bitten apple and frowned. It reminded him of Raven. After all, his ancestor was the famous Snow White. He took the apple inside with him. He sat down and put the apple down on the table and stared at it. Where was Raven?

A small movement snagged his attention. He glanced over at where he had left the envelopes and upon the one he had opened was a little caterpillar. Upon closer inspection, he noticed the caterpillar had been eating at the letter.

"That can't be good for you." Rose broke off a piece of apple and put it beside the note. The caterpillar glanced at the bit of apple and went back to eating bits of the letter.

Rose looked over the letter and frowned. The caterpillar had eaten away at words that Rose could no longer see, but those words were scarred into his mind. The caterpillar had eaten away at words such as _disappointment_ , _abomination_ , and _evil_.

He squinted at the caterpillar, "Who are you?"

It looked up from the word it was eating at (disgrace) and started making small squeaking noises that wounded like _reeeeewreew_. Frustrated it stopped. It thought for a moment before crawling over the paper and putting its mouth to it. After a moment I crawled to the edge of the parchment and spit out the letter I. It crawled back over the letters and picked up the letter A pasting a bit off from the I. Then the letter M. Rose stared as the letters formed: I A-M B-E-A-T-R-I-C-E.

Rose fell back into his chair stunned, "Bea-Beatrice? Wha-what happened? You're . . . a bug."

Beatrice's shoulders sighed . . . as best a caterpillar's shoulders could. Rose would have given her a hug but he was afraid he would squish her.

So, Beatrice was here. Raven was somewhere in the Woods. Who else was in here? Rose noticed Beatrice inching towards the other letter. She gnawed at the paper around the wax seal and the lip lifted up just a little.

Rose bit his bottom lip, "You want me to read the other one?" Beatrice looked up at him and nodded. Hesitantly, Rose reached out and gingerly took the letter out.

Rose held his breath as he read through it. But when he finished he let out a sigh of relief. It had been a letter from his great grandmother and Jack:

 _I am so glad you finally wrote home! We were wondering when it would happen! And goodness, what a mix up. I imagine you're managing in those classes, though. After all, you are a Beauty!_

 _Your friends sound like wonderful people! Be sure to keep them close. Good friends can be hard to come by._

 _Concerning Raven, I say do whatever your heart tells you too. I would think with you taking princess classes you would have learned that but I suppose you are still a boy and may think muscles and mind is the answer. But I say follow your heart (after all it is a muscle! Ahahahaha). I think he clearly loves you. You need to ask yourself how you feel about him. This is a crucial moment in your life. You will forever cherish or regret this decision._

 _Now, I am not trying to scare you, but this is incredibly serious. Though I would never say this aloud, I was mildly unhappy with your great-grandfather. And I hardly chose him. I choose Jack now and I am incredibly happy! You need to choose if Raven is who you want your Happily Ever After to be with. My book ended with "Happily Ever After," but it didn't stay that way. I had to find it again. I hope you find yours._

 _Love, G-mama Beauty_

 _P.S. From Jack: I've put a bean from my story in this envelope and sealed it before your grandma finds out. I hope it serves you well!_

Rose looked in the envelope and dumped the bean into the palm of his hand. He would have to be careful with this. He ripped off the hem of his tunic and wrapped the bean up gently. He then placed the bean on the highest shelf in the cupboard. Hopefully events would never drive him to plant the bean and have another gateway into the legendary giant's kingdom.

Rose returned to the table where Beatrice had finally started eating at the apple Rose had left for her. He smiled at her, "Goodnight, Beatrice. It's nice having a friend around." He then blew out the candle and went to bed.

* * *

Raven huddled into himself in the dark castle. He had tried to leave, but the doors had locked and the windows were barred. Raven kept near the door afraid of what could be inside of this wretched place, but hunger had gotten the best of him and he quickly found the kitchen. Surprisingly, there was plenty of bread.

The castle creeped Raven out. It was too empty. There were no rats or spiders, let alone another human. The past two weeks his only company had been his nightmares of his Grandmother and her evil step-mother. The nightmares haunted him constantly. They were relentless.

Raven tried so hard to think of Rose, but the nightmares always came back. The shadows on the walls would morph into sickly old women or he would hear an apple drop from the only living tree outside. Always reminding him. Always there.

This night Raven saw a sickly green glow coming from upstairs. He tensed as it seemed to get closer and closer. He watched as a floating mirror came towards him.

It stopped and the green glow within started to swirl until a gaunt face appeared in it, "Hello, Master White."

A scream got caught in Raven's throat.

"A new mistress has finally arrived and Snow's house shall fall."

The mirror laughed and Raven stood up and punched the mirror, his screams finally escaping him.

The mirror cracked and he said, "Seven years bad luck, you know. Though, I doubt the new mistress will let you live that long." The mirror's glass glossed over and the cracks disappeared. The mirror gave Raven a toothless grin as he started chanting, "She is coming. She is coming. She is coming to get you!"


	3. Chapter 3:The Quest

**\3/**  
 **The Quest**

Rose woke up thrashing in a panic as he saw a figure looming over him. Rose lashed out and hit the thing where Rose assumed the face should be. He couldn't be certain, for the being was cloaked top to bottom in flowing blue fabric without a trace of skin to be seen. He didn't even know if it was human.

Rose hopped out of the bed and crossed to the kitchen where he grabbed the pot and readied himself to hit the offender with it. The cloaked figure put a hand up indicating for Rose to cease and said, "Rose, stop it!" All hopes of identifying the voice were blocked by the cloth covering the invader's face.

"Who are you?" Rose kept the pot up ready to strike if the figure came closer.

The figure straitened and Rose tensed a bit more, "I am the Cerulean Sorcerer. And I am rather surprised to see you. You aren't captive, are you?"

"Um, no? Why are you here?"

"I'm here to find a hero. And apparently you are that hero. I was expecting Raven."

Rose frowned, "Raven?"

"Yes, we knew someone had become captive at the Wicked Stepmother's castle, but we didn't know who. We had assumed it was you, and Raven was here. It seems we were wrong."

"You keep saying 'we.' Who else?"

"Er, you'll find out soon enough, I am sure. But you best be off to save Raven, then!"

"You haven't told me anything! I don't know who you are or even if you know where Raven is!"

"Rose, you're going to have to trust me on this. We don't have time. I need other things to do and the longer Raven is held captive the longer he's in danger." The cloaked figure waved around what Rose assumed to be arms. "Now, head outside and follow the blue path. It will take you to Raven."

"Wait," Rose went over to the table and looked at the gnawed apple bit he had left of Beatrice. But Beatrice was not there. "Where is she?" Rose asked more to himself than anyone else."

"Who?"

"Beatrice!"

"Beatrice? Beatrice is here?"

"Yes!" Rose held up the chewed note.

The Cerulean Sorcerer looked at it. "You don't have time for this. You need to get to Raven. I can glance around for her, but like I said, I have other things to do. Is she a morgrif?"

"Yes, a caterpillar." Rose was now crawling around on the ground looking for her. The Cerulean Sorcerer hoisted him up onto his feet and pushed him out the door.

"You need to go!" He closed the door.

All of the flowers started jabbering at once _where are you going? Who was that? We want to be watered? Who is the prettiest flower here?_

Rose let everything seep in for a moment. Raven was captive. He couldn't find Beatrice. Raven was captive.

Rose looked down at the ground. The dirt had turned blue in a path into the Woods. Rose took a step forward then turned back to the cottage, "Wait, I don't get anything? I'm just supposed to storm the Wicked Stepmother's castle unarmed?"

The door opened and the Cerulean Sorcerer just stood there for a moment. He then lifted up one arm and it glowed blue.

Rose was engulfed in blue light and when it went away Rose was in a slim blue tunic. At least it wasn't pink.

"Your tunic will protect you from Evil's magic. Now, you must be off!" He slammed the door.

Rose felt a tap on his boot. He looked down to see a pumpkin vine extended out to the front. _We would like to help._ Rose followed as the vine withdrew. In the back he saw trees and other vegetation mingling with each other until a staff was made. Rose took hold and found it incredibly sturdy, yet light. _Thank-you_.

Rose said goodbye and then started on his way.

* * *

Raven sat against a wall in the barred room and he held his legs up to himself. The door opened and Raven closed his eyes. This ghost had come every hour and Raven was breaking down.

Even with his eyes closed he knew exactly who was walking in: a young woman with skin white as snow, hair black as the raven, lips red as the rose. It was Snow White.

Her sweet voice penetrated Raven's thoughts,

"There's my grandson, the boy who let me die.

There's the abomination, the boy who loves another guy.

The House of White holds virtues proud and pure, something you never had.

The House of White is good. The child before me is bad."

And then she would sing her song, the one she sang before she met her prince.

Raven tightened his eyes and tightened his grip on his legs. He tried so hard to think of Rose, of how they danced at the Snow Ball, how the rose Raven tossed landed in his lap, but the voice was so strong and Raven felt so weak.

Raven waited as she finished the song and braced himself for part two. The first spirit left and the second came. And Raven held himself tighter yet. This is the one that hurt the most.

Raven imagined his prince walking in. Dressed in spectacular white just as he was at the Snow Ball. His beautiful golden hair. His violet eyes filled with wonder and Good.

But Raven knew it wasn't him. It never was. He heard the fraud speak, "Raven, I finally found you!" Raven could hear the relief in the voice. "Raven, Raven! Why won't you look at me? I've come to save you. I'm going to get you out of here. Raven," he imagined Rose kneeling by the bars. "Raven, I missed you. Raven, I love you."

Raven tried to shut it out. He tried to ignore it. But it still hurt. It wasn't Rose.

Raven felt a teardrop trickle down his cheek.

Raven was still shivering from what had just happened. His cheeks were still wet and he heard her walk in.

"Hello, darling. Another heart wrenching episode I assume?" Raven looked up and glared at Hawthorn. "Cheer up, darling. If it's the place, we intend to move soon. I'm building my own castle. You can be a damsel in distress there."

"Rose will come." It was strange hearing his own rasping voice.

Hawthorn grinned at him, "Oh, I anticipate it. And what a day that will be for me. It will be the day I find my Never After."

Raven paled at the thought of Hawthorn winning. Visions of Rose crumpling before her haunted him, "No, I won't let you hurt him."

"Ha. And what will you do, oh imprisoned one? Glare at me? It will be me and my minions against your precious little Rose. He does not stand a chance. Both of you _will_ die."

Hawthorn gave another smirk and left the room. Raven thought of Rose. He thought of the first Trial by Tale and how he had defeated Hawthorn. He knew Rose could do it again. He just needed to have faith in him. And help if he could.


	4. Chapter 4: Reunion and Departure

**\4/**  
 **Reunion and Departure**

Rose followed the blue path for a sunset and a sunrise. Paranoid of anything else in the Woods Rose kept his guard up, but he ran into nothing which disturbed him. He hadn't even seen a friendly critter scamper by and the plants were unusually quiet. But he followed the path with his staff in hand.

He saw the castle well before he was near it and anticipation and paranoia increased. The castle looked deserted. The plants surrounding it were dead, even the weeds, with the exception of an apple tree thriving in the wretched place. Everything around it looked gray. When Rose looked upon it he mysteriously felt all happiness and hope drain from him as the gloomy structure seemed to suck it out of him.

Rose silently approached the castle and tried the door to unsurprisingly find it locked. He walked around the castle to find _all_ the doors locked and all the windows barred. Rose went back to the back door and pointed his finger at it. He focused his fear of the place and his anger for the place for holding Raven captive. His finger glowed pink and the door blasted wide open.

Rose cautiously entered prepared for anything to come at him. He gripped his staff and let his eyes adjust to the dark. He walked through what appeared to be the kitchen and wandered around the dusty castle. As he ventured deeper into the castle it seemed to get darker and darker until Rose had to keep his finger glowing casting grotesque shadows everywhere.

Rose continued to explore in search of Raven finding all sorts of rooms. He discovered the dust covered dining hall, the deserted chambers of the Evil Queen, and even a couple of the servants' chambers. But so far, no Raven.

Rose started to worry that this was a trap for _him_ and that Raven wasn't in here at all.

* * *

Raven was curled up on the floor. He was tired, cold and hungry. Deep down in the dungeons where the Wicked Stepmother held her laboratory for her magical potions. Raven had found himself incredibly bored these last few days and in need of a distraction from the ghosts that continued to haunt him. He analyzed the room finding and identifying the seventeen potions the Evil Queen had left behind. He had also counted all of the stones on the floor in his cell (there were two hundred seventy three) and even came up with a life story for the shattered skeleton in the cell next to him reaching for an empty cup (his name was Bernard and was a blind woodcutter with two children and found himself captive here because he was unaware of the passing of the Queen and being offended, sent him down here).

Raven heard the door open and he closed his eyes tight. It was apparently time for the haunting. Raven thought of the School for Good. Raven thought of Peter and Cedric. Raven thought of sword lessons with Professor Espada. Rose thought of anything to keep his mind occupied.

Rose's voice came, "Raven? Is that you?" There was a pause as Rose waited for a response. "Raven? Are you alright? She hasn't hurt you, has she? Raven? Raven!"

Raven shut him out the best he could and held himself tighter.

"Raven, answer me, please. I'm here to get you out of here."

There was a pink glow and Raven looked up. It couldn't really be him, could it? The Rose in front of him was dressed in blue. He couldn't remember Rose ever wearing blue. "It—it can't be you. It never is," Raven's voice was still weak. He put his head back down and waited for the haunting to end.

"Raven? What are you talking about? I'm here to save. . ."

The voice never finished. Raven looked up and saw a wall of steel where bars had been. Raven crawled to the barrier and pounded on it. It really had been Rose. It had to be. Raven pounded in vain, though.

And Raven didn't know which hurt more; Raven pushing Rose away like he just had or Rose not saying he loved him like the hauntings had.

* * *

"Fool! The blasted mirror! He could have told me Rose was coming! He could have told me! But no, he didn't." Her voice went high in mockery, "'You never asked.' Bah. Useless!"

"Calm down, Hawthorn. Everything is fine."

Hawthorn looked at her minion, Eustis. He was technically right. They had gotten out of the castle with Raven and were moving to _her_ castle now. After all, she _deserved_ her own. She looked at the sleeping Raven in the crystal orb Eustis was pushing. Everything would be fine. She had the perfect plan. She _would_ get her never after and _Rose_ would not get in the way. She would win.

Eustis spoke again, "I still don't understand why you don't finish him off now."

"I've told you over and over the plan I have formed for the boys and I will not use the old hag's home to do it in. It was a nice place to reside until _my_ castle is completed, but I would never seal my story there."

"If you say so. I still think you would have already found your Never After if you had just ended him there."

Hawthorn rubbed her temple and stroked the owl perched on her shoulder. She spoke to the said owl, "Oh, my dear sweet Maggie, what am I to do with him? I've told him over and over how I want to break their hearts and make them suffer before I kill them. True, I probably could have ended Rose quickly in the Evil Queen's castle. It is become corrupt, the best kind of evil. But if I want to truly call myself a villain I will have to do better than just squish my nemesis like a common bug."

The owl, Maggie, hooted. Hawthorn took it as agreement, though she had no idea. Talking to and understanding animals were princess qualities and Hawthorn was far from being a princess.

She took a deep breath, "Everything will be fine. Rose is locked up under the watch of the useless mirror. When he finally gets out we'll be ready at _my_ place. And there Rose will find his end. Come, Eustis. I suppose we can assist in the construction of my castle. It will help it go faster, I suppose. And we'll need to relieve Grimwald. I will be needing him somewhere else in this development."

Eustis was about to say something, then thought better of it. He shouldered against the crystal orb and started trekking north to where Hawthorn's castle was being built.

* * *

Rose was banging on the wicked mirror who had posted himself at now the only exit from the castle. Stone walls built up blocking all other doors and windows. Rose banged on the mirror again. "Let me out!"

"Ha. Never."

Rose was getting cross. He levered his staff behind him and bashed it against the mirror cracking it.

"Hahaha, seven years bad luck, you know." The mirror started to seal the cracks back up again and Rose started to bang on it again. _He_ was going to be the hero. _He_ was going to save Raven.

But right now it looked like it was _Rose_ who was in need of saving. Why wasn't there a princess class for How to Rescue Yourself?


	5. Chapter 5:The Maze

**\5/**  
 **The Maze**

Rose was stuck within the dark gray walls for the night. His only company being the rude mirror blocking the only exit glowing that putrid green. Rose did not sleep well.

Rose was awakened by a tremendous *BOOM* that shook the entire building. The mirror's eyes bulged as another *BOOM* echoed throughout the castle. One more *BOOM* and the mirror (and the door) came hurtling at Rose who dove off to the side to avoid being smashed by the debris.

As the dust settled down an angelic figure dressed in white could be seen in the doorway in the morning light. "Lily?"

"Lily of the Valley," she corrected him.

"Lily of the Valley?"

"Yes. That is my title now!" She bounced a little in excitement. "You already met Cedric, the Cerulean Sorcerer."

"Wait that was _Cedric_?"

Lily nodded, "Now, let's be off. Now that I've found you I can assist! Yay! Raven and Rose living happily ever after! Eeeek! I love it!"

Rose blushed.

"Anyway, just follow the blue path. It's reappeared now Raven has moved. I'm going to go and see if I can find Cedric. He should be back by now. I'm sort of worried. But I'll bless your staff for you before we go." She touched his staff with a touch of her finger. "It doesn't do much. I'm still not very good with magic, but it will light up when you want it too!"

Rose smiled, "Thanks, Lily. I best be off though. Raven looked terrible when I saw him here."

Lily curtsied, "Take care, brave hero. The road shall be rough and obstacles shall impede your journey. Raven needs you!"

The two then parted ways. The Lily of the Valley skipping in one while the hero went another.

* * *

Rose wandered the blue path alone as he worried about Raven. What had they done to him? He seemed so distant and broken. He seemed to think there was no hope. He seemed to think there was no light. Rose _had_ to save him somehow.

Rose followed the path and frowned as he looked in front of him. The path ended where a large hedge maze began. He looked to the left and to the right to see if it would be better to find a way around. Alas, it seemed there was no way around. Only hedges stretching in either direction.

Rose would be fine. He knew the trick to mazes. The Beauty gardens had a hedge maze that Millicent and he would play in. Millicent would always tell him, _if you ever get lost, just follow one wall. It will take you out eventually._ So Rose chose the left wall and started to snake around the hedges.

After about five minutes into the hedge Rose regretted his decision. Several times Rose tried to morph into an animal, but magic didn't seem to work in here. He tried to coax the plants to move for him, but they ignored him. So there he was, stuck in a hedge maze with only silent plants for company.

Rose wandered even more. No blue path. No Lily of the Valley or Cerulean Sorcerer. And worst of all no friendly plants or Raven.

Rose continued onward, though. Until he reached a clearing. His heart leapt a little, only to sink again. There was a small little cottage, but it was still in the maze. Rose glanced behind the cottage to make sure there wasn't a continuation to follow the left side, and there wasn't. Rose turned around to find a lanky man that reminded Rose of a scarecrow.

"Lost, are we?"

Rose froze momentarily, but quickly composed himself, "Not at all. Sorry to intrude. Have a good day."

The scarecrow-like man grinned a sharp toothed toothy smile, "Come now, little Rose. Stay for tea, won't you?"

Rose started to sweat at the mention of his name as the man started towards him, "I really should be on my way."

The man reached out for him and Rose dodged out of the way and made for the way he had come. As he reached it, however, a thorny hedge grew up blocking the way. He looked back at the scarecrow-man shambling towards him again. Rose tried to push his way through the hedge anyway.

He did his best to ignore the thorns penetrating his skin and leaving their mark across his body, marring his clothing. Rose was about to break through to the other side when thorny vines wrapped around his feet and dragged him out. Rose cried out in pain as the thorns dug deeply into his ankles as they pulled him out of the hedge. As Rose thudded to the ground he dropped his staff and the vines continued to snake around his body.

The scarecrow-man loomed over him, "Naughty, naughty! I insist you stay for tea." He gave the toothy grin again as the vines dragged Rose across the ground to the cottage. Rose bit his bottom lip to try and ignore the thorns embedded inside of him.

Inside of the cottage, the thorns additionally wrapped around his wrists and mouth as (the scarecrow said) "a precaution." Rose was tied up and on his side near the fireplace and tears streaked his dirt and blood smudged face. He tried his best to not move. Even breathing hurt as the fluctuation of his chest invited the thorns deeper into him.

All Rose could think about for the next ten minutes was the pain he was enduring. Every inch of his body had a pin in it. Every nerve was screaming at him. But eventually he was able to begin to ignore it. He could still feel the blood beading about the thorns, but his nerves had given up trying to tell him to get away. Now Rose was just getting uncomfortable. What was under his hip? A knot in the wood? A stray bead? Whatever it was, it dug uncomfortably into Rose's bone. Rose chose to ignore it, however. The thorns seemed a tad more dominant. Rose glanced around the filthy cottage and winced every time he accidentally moved his head just a little. The scarecrow-man had his back turned to him as he chopped something at a table. There were no windows, only the door where the vines crept in and snaked around the table to where Rose was being held now.

Rose had to get out. He didn't know how. He didn't even know if he could. But he was going to try. He habitually began to bite his lip, and then quickly stopped as the thorny vines wrapped around his mouth protested and dug deeper into his lips. He glanced at the scarecrow-man once more and then decided he could easily take him on if he could just escape the vines.

On impulse, with hardly thinking about it lest his mind visualize the pain he was about to endure, Rose rolled himself towards the fireplace. Rose grunted at the heat and the tightening of the vines as they protested and tried to pull him away, but he remained near the fire place with his feet almost in it until the plant caught fire and snapped away from him. Rose pulled away the vines that no longer was attached to the roots and stood up to find the scarecrow-man looming over him, "Naughty, naughty. And I had always thought you cared for plants."

The scarecrow-man snatched at Rose, but Rose dived off to the side to find the uncomfortable knot digging into his hip again. Rose frowned as he realized it was no knot or loose bead. He dug into his pocket to find Jack's bean, still wrapped in cloth.

Rose grinned and whispered to it, "Serve me well, take this man to the giants and wreck the blasted plant that blocks the maze." Rose tossed it out the door while the scarecrow-man stared at him in confusion.

"What was that, little flower? A stone from your shoe?"

Rose shook his head, still grinning, "It was your demise."

Just then the ground began to shake. From outside the door a sprout shot up and into the house wrapping itself around the scarecrow-man. It then shot through the roof with the scarecrow-man shooting through it with him.

Rose reached up and felt the corners of his mouth. He pulled his fingers away and saw them dripping with blood. He look down at himself to see the rips and tears through his clothes and the slashes the vines had left as he had given their lower parts to the flame. They still stung and he was sore, but he needed to leave. He had to get out of the maze.

He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and left the building. As he stepped outside he saw one of the roots of the beanstalk had smashed down upon the hedge blocking the way Rose had come and Rose grabbed his staff and crawled over it as he entered the maze again.


	6. Chapter 6:The Fallen Raven

**\6/**  
 **The Fallen Raven**

Rose followed along the left wall as he tried to ignore his rumbling stomach. Finally, he ripped off a handful of leaves as he walked along the hedge and stuck one in his mouth. He sucked on it a little bit and spat it back out. If it was poisonous, he would know within the hour.

He trekked on, clenching onto the leaves he still had in his hands near his rumbling belly. Suddenly Rose's stomach heaved and Rose bent over and regurgitated into the hedge. He tossed the leaves he had been holding onto away from himself while his empty stomach continued to empty itself more.

When Rose's stomach seemed to cease its convulsions Rose slowly stood up, light headed, and was about to start onwards again when he noticed something fluttering above the hedges. He craned his neck to get a better look at it and to Rose it looked a great deal like a butterfly. It fluttered down and it _was_ a butterfly. A beautiful butterfly with glistening pink wings. In its six little legs it was holding a little grape.

"Beatrice?" Rose asked. The little butterfly bobbed up and down. "You flew all the way here to find me?" She bobbed up and down again. She then flew near his face trying to shove the grape into his mouth. Rose leaned back a little and held his palm flat below her. She gave up trying to force it into him and dropped it into his hand. "Thank-you, Beatrice.

She let out a sneezing/squeaking sound and started to flutter away down the maze.

"You know the way out?"

She bobbed up and down as she flew forward. Rose popped the grape into his mouth and ran after her.

* * *

Hawthorn stood atop the highest tower of her castle made of obsidian and silver. As she looked out the arched window of the tower she stared out over the woods wondering where Rose was. She had been alarmed when she saw the beanstalk shoot through the sky from the center of Grimwald's maze and she was certain it hadn't been Grimwald who had summoned it. Was her nemesis still in the maze? Could he be lost? She hoped he was lost. The longer he was away from Raven the more she could hurt Raven.

She twisted away from the window and started down the stairs. Perhaps she should install a slide to slip down on from her tower into the dungeon. She hadn't wanted it until now, but she also hadn't visited Raven until now. She had just left him to himself in his cell.

She huffed down the last few steps and let her catch her breath. No weaknesses. It might give him hope. Once she had composed herself, she slowly opened the door to the dark dungeon.

She didn't need much light to see the pale Raven chained to a wall behind bars. She had never thought anyone could be as white as Snow White claimed, but before her stood Raven. And she stood corrected. Being locked up in darkness as long as he had has certainly paled him _even more_ than he was back at school. And he certainly was close to a snow-white now.

She looked down at her hand. She was as black as he was white. Her mother had always told her that it was a sign. A sign of evil. But Hawthorn knew better. After all, Mia was dark. Richard was dark. And even Hawthorn's hair was as white as Raven's skin. Though, she would never make _that_ reference again. Relating _her_ to a _prince_. A _Good_ prince. Profanity. Anyway, she knew it's not the outside that counts. That's what they had been learning in the Blue Forest.

In the darkness Raven hadn't seemed to notice Hawthorn was there. She padded closer to his cell as quietly as she could. She looked at his gaunt face. She looked at his pale skin. She looked at his messy, oiled hair. She looked at the soiled stain below him. Oh, how princely.

"You're going to die," she blurted.

Rose startled and looked around in the darkness until his eyes found her white hair, "Rose will come."

"Of course he will. And he is going to die too. And being locked up, there is nothing you are going to do about it."

Raven frowned but said nothing. Was he already worn down? Had she crushed him already? That was no fun. Hawthorn grinned for a moment to herself before stowing it away and saying, "Rose _did_ take out Grimwald. And I would presume he's on his way out of Grimwald's maze right this instant."

Raven grinned. Hawthorn tried not to grin herself.

"He's still going to die. He doesn't stand a chance."

Raven's eyes glowed with hope, "You keep saying 'Rose.' It won't just be him."

Hawthorn couldn't help herself. She busted out laughing. "Oh? The incompetent Lily of the Valley? Her powers are tied to a lake several miles away and leaving the lake leaves her weaker than she already is. The Cerulean Sorcerer? I suppose he _might_ put up a fight, but it's nothing _my_ minions wouldn't be able to handle. And your morgifs are a butterfly and a tree. Forgive me if I'm not quaking in my slippers."

Raven kept his face of hope. Oh, how fun it will be to destroy that hope. Over and over again.

"Well, I'll be leaving you now. I'd say make friends with the rats, but there are none. Enjoy your solitude. It's the last life you'll know."

She left the dungeon. He would be quite lonely. She hoped he loses his sanity.

Hawthorn huffed up the stairs back to her tower. Perhaps she _would_ install a slide. Then at least it wouldn't be that horrible going down. She stopped halfway up and made a detour towards the great hall.

Corrin and Eustis had shoved the tables against the walls and were taking the giant orb Hawthorn had used to bring Raven here as a giant ball to kick around. "Corrin! Eustis!"

Both stopped and looked to Hawthorn as the orb rolled behind Eustis.

"Grimwald is in the land of the giants and now it is your turn to slow Rose down. I'm not done with Raven yet. I don't care how you do it. Just make sure no one dies. Not him and especially not you. Shoo."

The two glanced at each other before scrambling to the door. Hawthorn had no idea what they would do, but hopefully they could hold Rose back better than a mirror holding a door and a maze that doesn't allow magic.

Hawthorn continued up the stairs to the window and looked down where her two minions were spots crawling towards the maze. And as she watched them she began to wonder. What was it like to love like Raven and Rose did? What was it like to do anything; break into an old dark castle, travel through a maze made from the essence of evil, for each other?

She stopped. It was pointless to think of such trivial things. Evil commanded. She had her minions. She would leave the sappy, sickly love to the good-as-dead Good.


	7. Chapter 7:Raven vs Rose

**\7/**  
 **Raven Verses Rose**

Rose sprinted out of the maze after Beatrice to find the blue path had returned. Beatrice danced in a little circle before returning to Rose and perching on his shoulder upon his marred tunic. Rose frowned as he looked ahead. Far away at the base of the forest was a dark castle. It seemed to be carved out of darkness. He wondered what it was made of.

"Is that where we are going?" He glanced at his shoulder and saw Beatrice shrug her wings. "I suppose there's only way to find out. We follow the blue trail. You're with me?" Beatrice nodded.

Rose wandered the blue path uneasily. He constantly summoned his fear and let his finger glow pink to remind him he was out of the maze and was hardly defenseless anymore.

During one of is assurances, movement caught Rose's eye and ducked just as an owl clawed towards the shoulder Beatrice was on. Rose stood up straight and watched as the owl reeled back around with its talons out headed directly for Rose again. Rose's glowing pink finger formed a barrier and watched the owl sprawl across the invisible wall. Feathers floated to the ground as the dazed bird fell backwards through them.

Rose immediately felt bad for the animal. It's possible it wasn't bad, just hungry. Rose started for the owl when Beatrice started screeching. He looked down at her and she just shook her head.

As a precaution, he asked the trees around him to wrap their roots around the bird's feet. Rose hurried back down the path.

It wasn't long until a rustle in the bushes urged Rose to go faster and his finger to glow. Mistakenly, he looked back and froze. It was Raven. At least it looked like Raven. But it couldn't be Raven. First of all, Rose knew Raven was being held captive at the castle, the blue path continued onward. Secondly, this Raven had an air of arrogance he had never seen Raven have.

Rose turned to run only to find Lily. Er, Lily of the Valley. But not Lily of the Valley. She was dressed in blood red clothes and her eyes burned with a hatred Lily could never have. Even if you crushed one of her origami flowers her grandmother always sent her.

Beatrice hid beneath Rose's collar as his finger glowed pink. He pointed at the ground in front of the intruders in turn and ran, diverting from the path, as two rose bushes erupted from the ground and reached for the imposters. Rose ducked into the trees and asked them to conceal him as he ran through the forest parallel to the blue path.

He ran and after a while, when he thought he lost them, he peaked at the blue path to see if it was clear. It seemed it was. Cautiously, Rose came out of hiding and continued down the path. Just to find it blocked again by the two imposters.

Frustrated, he couldn't help himself, "What do you want?"

Raven gave a cocky smile, "Nothing much. We're just here to talk. Don't ya want to talk?"

Rose scowled, "No."

Lily smiled, "Too bad." Her finger glowed and the ground quacked beneath him. Rose fell to his knees from the unstable earth. Then to Rose's horror the soil around him cracked and separated from him leaving him on an island of land with a chasm of emptiness around him.

"That won't stop me." Rose's finger glowed and the roots of the trees stretched across from beneath the ground and weaved together to form a bridge. Rose started to run across before Faux-Raven pointed his fingers at the roots and blasted them to ash. Rose began to fall down into the chasm.

* * *

"You, idiot!" Corrin shrieked, "Go get him!"

"I'm not going to save him! We win whether we do it Hawthorn's way or not as long as he dies," Eustis pouted.

"She said _no one dies_. She might kill you if he dies. You know how much she has her black heart set on this plan. _Go. Get. Him._ "

"No," He folded his arms and turned his now-princely back to her. Corrin grabbed at his neck with her delicate princess fingers and started to strangle him. She only stopped when the wind started to pick up.

Now it wasn't the wind that bothered her, it was that the wind seemed to be getting _sucked into the chasm._ Her grip on Eustis was released and her mouth dropped open as an impossibly large, impossibly _pink_ butterfly emerged from the chasm carrying the well-worn boy with his ripped clothes billowing beneath the butterfly's enormous wings.

Corrin gawked at the insect for a moment before letting her finger glow and screamed at Eustis, "Shoot it down!" as a fireball was launched from her finger through the butterfly's wing.

As Corrin and Eustis launched fireballs at the butterfly it gave out a deafening screech that temporarily got the offenders to cease fire as they covered their ears. A long tongue was then unraveled towards Eustis ramming him into a tree behind him rendering her unconscious. The tongue curled back up and then attacked Corrin as it wrapped around her and dropped her onto the little piece of land she had left Rose on.

* * *

Beatrice flew Rose all the way along the blue path to the obsidian castle and landed in front of the intimidating building. She put Rose down gently onto the ground and then shrank down to a regular butterfly size. "Thank-you, Beatrice." She let out a little squeak and danced around in the air before landing on rock exhausted.

Rose looked around at the massive castle. Raven had to be in there. Somewhere. He turned to Beatrice, "I'm going in. Wait out here for Lily and Cedric. Er, the Lily of the Valley and the Cerulean sorcerer."

Rose didn't see Beatrice protesting as he went in.


	8. Chapter 8:Final Preparations

**\8/**  
 **Final Preparations**

Hawthorn brooded in her tower as Rose entered her castle. She had seen the giant butterfly on its way and closed off the dungeons and any indication that there _was_ a dungeon and completely remodeled the castle for him. He would enter in the front door, which would shut, lock, and then disappear. And then he would travel from room to room with only one way to go. He would go in circles for who knows how long. Now, all she needed to do is work her plan into the unfortunate arrival of Rose. She wasn't ready. Yet. But she would be. She would make it work.

Hawthorn grabbed a broom from a cleaning closet and worked in a witch's favorite spell to make it fly. She hopped on it and glided down to the ground where she started to dig towards the basement. She felt rather foolish for sending all her henchmen. Now she had to do the dirty work for herself.

\\*/

It took her quite some time but she finally dug to where the basement was. She enchanted the wall and a door appeared. Quickly, Hawthorn entered and slammed the door shut.

She stepped inside and glanced around to get her bearings now she wouldn't be able to go through the regular door since it was sealed shut. She looked directly to her right and frowned. Raven was right beside her. The door she made went right into the cell.

"What is going on?" The impertinent boy asked.

"Shut-up. I'm just double checking to make sure you're miserable. Are you?"

Raven looked at her for a moment, then said, "Absolutely miserable."

Hawthorn frowned. He didn't look miserable. Her fingers glowed brown and slammed him against the wall. He let out a whelp and she frowned. She couldn't have him letting Rose know he was here. She contemplated cutting his tongue out, but she decided it might interfere with her plan. She then checked Raven for any showing damage. That might conflict with the plan as well.

Raven glared at her as she looked him over, but she didn't care. She didn't find any damage. "Rose will be arriving soon," she told him, even though he was already here, "and then you both will die. Are you ready?"

"Ready to die? For him. But you shan't lay a finger on him."

Hawthorn was amused, but not enough to smile, "There's nothing you can do to stop me, Prince Raven. Your boyfriend will die, just like you. You both will."

"Rose can take care of himself."

"Rose is out of his element when he enters my castle. He got lucky in our first Trial by Tale. He had plants. He had you. When he's in here he has neither."

"He can still take you."

Hawthorn sighed, "Believe in what delusions you have. They will not do you any good. They won't help Rose. They won't help you. They are just false hopes."

"And you are so confident of your scheme? What makes you believe Evil shall conquer?"

This time Hawthorn did smile, "Your precious Rose has been taking princess classes. What shall he do? Give me advice on how to make my skin shine with luster? And Evil has been doing excellently now both School Masters are gone and balance is back. It no longer tips in the favor of Good. My plan is all I need to defeat you sniveling princes."

Raven struggled against the chains in anger towards her. Hawthorn arched her eyebrows in surprise. This was the first time she had seen him act this way. Had she finally gotten to him?

She smiled at him, "Well, sweet damsel in distress, I have things to do. I have to welcome our sweet Rose, don't I? I shall be sure to give him your regards. I'll tell him you think he took too long. I'll tell him you're disappointed in him. Fare thee well, oh, captive one."

She left the room and made the door disappear. Hawthorn grabbed her broom and flew back up to her tower. She brooded a little more as she contemplated whether to wait for her henchmen or not. Waiting would give Lily and Cedric time to come as well. And she certainly could end this right now. She could do it her way. In her castle.

She decided to finish it. It would be quick. She would say it would be painless for the boys, but that would be a lie. She wanted it to hurt. She would be disappointed if it didn't. She then went about her tower doing final preparations for the end of the boys. Oh, how fun it will be to destroy their hopes and dreams. Watching the life lift from their eyes. Knowing that she would be yet another Never to say she had won.

She pushed the bed into the center of the room and let the winds blow in making the draping billow ever so slightly around it. She lit a couple of candles on a small table and scattered rose petals everywhere around the room. If she wasn't here to kill them, she thought, this might actually look romantic.

Finally, she repositioned the chandelier to the perfect position. When the time came for Rose to meet his doom, when he walked in through the tower doors, the setting sun would glisten off of the crystal finishing the mood.

Hawthorn grinned to herself at her work. She just had to wait a little more before she went to get Raven.


	9. Chapter 9:The Rose with Thorns

**\9/**  
 **The Rose with Thorns**

Clarissa paced in the Headmasters Tower as she uneasily read the story being written out. They were just boys. And she couldn't help. She couldn't scream at Lily to go and help. She couldn't yell at Cedric to go to the tree and grab the antidote. She couldn't yell at Beatrice to try and get Rose out of the Obsidian Castle. She could only watch.

Sophie stepped in, "You are _always_ in here. Don't you have other things to do? Like teach a class? Make sure your students are behaving?"

Clarissa glared at her, "My students are _good_. They seldom misbehave, Sophie."

Sophie stuck out her tongue. She quickly put it back where it belonged, but only to speak, "I think Hawthorn will win. Hawthorn is the best student the School for Evil has had since me." She patted her hair, making sure it was perfect. "So what are you doing then?"

Clarissa let out a sigh, "Just watching. Only watching. It's all I can do."

"The balance is restored, Clarissa. My students have the opportunity to find _their_ Never Afters just like your students have the chance of finding their Happily Ever Afters."

Clarissa sighed again, "I _know_ , Sophie. You will never let me forget, I am sure, though. You haven't since Hort found his Never After."

Sophie flinched slightly. Clarissa couldn't help but feel satisfied with the reaction, though she knew she shouldn't have.

She turned back to the book opened and watched the Storian sketch a new picture of Rose wandering through the Obsidian Castle.

* * *

Rose was getting increasingly frustrated with the castle that never seemed to change. Every room he went into was the same and he had no idea where he was in the building now. He contemplated trying to break through a wall to see how that would help. But decided against it. He needed to find Raven, not escape.

Rose entered another room, though one would think he had never left the last one. Same table. Same paintings. Same chairs. He headed straight for the only other door and frowned when he entered. This room was different.

There were no furnishings. All around the room was just black stone. In the center was the faux Raven from earlier. This Raven now had a bandage wrapped around his head. Rose glared at him. He just wanted his Raven.

"Charming to see you again," the impostor said. He hoisted a mace onto his shoulder. Another reminder that this was _not_ Raven. And a little reminder that Rose missed Raven's grace.

"Just let me have Raven."

"I _am_ Raven."

"You are nothing more than a Raven-want-to-be," the malice in Rose's voice surprised the imposter. But he had meant it, which surprised Rose.

The imposter let out a sly smile, "How about this, if you best me, you can see Raven. Do we have a deal?"

Rose knew better than to trust a Never, but he did _not_ want to continue wandering aimlessly through the rooms. Besides, he had been training for a fight with Professor Espada. "Deal."

Rose held his staff out and the imposter laughed, "You're going to fight with a stick?" Rose did not waver. He knew his advantages. The imposter shrugged, "suit yourself. He came at Rose with the mace swinging down where Rose's head was. Rose tapped it aside with his staff letting it smash down into the obsidian floor. Faux-Raven rolled the ball of the mace towards Rose who stepped aside easily.

Faux-Raven screamed in rage and began to just beat the mace down upon Rose repeatedly. Rose held up the staff with both hands perpendicular to the mace and blocked it continuously. Rose noticed too late as he saw Faux-Raven's finger glow and the mace and busted Rose's staff into half and Rose stumbled back to avoid the mace from hitting him.

The mace continued to torrent down upon Rose as he danced around the sharp metal. Another swing of the mace and Rose fell back as it smashed down between his knees. Rose summersaulted backwards and let his finger glow in anger and half of his staff erupted into vines and wrapped around Faux-Raven's legs. Faux-Raven sneered and cut at them with his mace as Rose grabbed the other half. Rose's finger glowed again until the green of the staff shined into a metal blade. Rose placed the sword in his right hand and launched a volley of attacks at the imposter. The imposter had to stop cutting for a moment to block Rose's offense.

Rose kept Faux-Raven busy, leaving the vines wrapped around his legs immobilizing him. Rose noticed the imposter straining against the vines, though, letting them strain and snap little by little. Rose continued to attack for Raven.

The metal of Rose's sword and the metal of Faux-Raven's mace screeched as they clashed together constantly. A snap of the vines and Faux-Raven was free. It wasn't long before the smashing of the mace left Rose on the ground again desperately blocking the blows. A glow of Faux-Raven's finger and the mace came smashing down into the ground blasting Rose back. Fortunately for Rose, the impact blasted Faux-Raven back as well, leaving the mace where it had impacted the floor leaving a crater in the obsidian. Rose picked himself up and ran for the mace. Faux-Raven did as well. Rose's finger glowed and let the remaining vines from the other half of the staff envelope the mace entirely. Faux-Raven reached the mace first, but couldn't tear through the vines. Rose held his sword to Faux-Raven's neck.

"Yield."

Faux-Raven spat, " _I Yield._ "

"Take me to Raven."

He grinned, "I am Raven."

"Take me to the _real_ Raven. You promised."

"Perks of being evil, aye? We break promises."

Rose let the steel of his sword kiss Faux-Raven's skin and red blood tarnished the blade.

Faux-Raven glared at Rose, "I said I yield!"

"You also said you'd take me to Raven if I won."

Faux-Raven smiled, "I said I'd let you see him. And he's right here."

"You look nothing like him. Take me to him." Rose pressed a little harder and Faux-Raven trembled slightly.

"Fine. I'll take you to him," he glared at Rose some more.

Rose lifted his sword from his neck, but kept it pointed at him.


	10. Chapter 10:The End

**\10/**  
 **The End**

Faux-Raven turned around and pointed his glowing finger at a wall and stairs revealed themselves. He turned back to Rose, "He's up there. You go alone."

Rose contemplated this for a moment then said, "Fine." But he grabbed Faux-Raven and shoved him against the vine-covered mace and let the vines wrap around him as well. "I'll come back and let you go when I have Raven."

"Great, I suppose I'll be left here forever."

Rose ignored him and went up the stairs.

The stairs seemed to go on forever and Rose wondered if this would be a never-ending staircase like the rooms were never-ending. He tried to ignore the possibility and focused on Raven. He climbed the stairs some more.

* * *

Rose reached the top of the tower and thrust the door open to find Raven laying down upon his back, hands clasped at his chest, with his eyes closed. "Raven?"

There was no answer.

Rose glanced around the room. Cautiously, he approached Raven. Rose checked his pulse. It was slow. He checked his breathing. It was sluggish.

Rose shook Raven and began casting healing spells in vain. "Wake up, Raven!" But nothing affected him.

The sun began to set and the crystals in the chandelier glittered over Raven's body. A breeze made the curtains surrounding the bed waver and moved the rose petals about in swirls. Rose paused a moment and thought about his grandmother's story. He thought about how the beauties had got their story. He then slowly leaned in and let his lips touch Raven's.

Rose pulled away and gagged. When was the last time Raven had brushed his teeth?

An evil laugh interrupted Rose's thoughts. He spun around and found Hawthorn outlined in the window holding a broomstick. "I win."

Rose scowled, "It's not over yet, Hawthorn. I will save him."

"It's too late. And you've sealed your own death already."

"Stop thinking you _will_ win!"

"I already have, Rose."

She held three fingers up and put them down one by one. When her index finger went down the room began to swim around Rose. "Wha-what is happening?"

Hawthorn stepped down from the window and approached Rose as he sat down hard onto the floor. "I have one. You're already dying," she took a finger and brushed it against Raven's lips, "And so is your precious boyfriend. Poison, Rose. Poison coating your boyfriend's lips. Your kiss killed you."

"There has to be a cure. I'll find it."

Hawthorn shook her head, "Our morgrifs went together quite well. Maggie is my beautiful owl much like you have your fluttering Beatrice. Arnold was turned into a dilitírio spruce which produces a horribly painful death for the consumer. You'll be dying for the next four hours, Rose. Raven's lucky. He only has two more left.

"Your morgrif was a," her eyebrows knit together, "farm-farma-farmake . . . farmakeftikós tree. The only cure for the poison of the dilitírio spruce. And we've already burned it to the ground."

"We'll find another one or another way . . ."

"Shhhh, Rose, you aren't feeling well. Don't excite yourself. Just rest. It will be over soon. A couple more moments and you will pass out and won't be able to feel a thing."

Anguish overcame Rose's face, "We-we can't be done yet. I-I never told . . . never told Raven that I-I . . . I . . . I love him."

"Touching. And you never will. Good-night, Rose. It's time for you to rest your eternal rest. Do not worry, my sweet opponent. You will rest well and I am sure you will be able to rest with your boyfriend." Her words began to fade to Rose, "Find peace six feet under. Raven will be beside you."

* * *

Hawthorn watched as Rose slumped against the bed. That was it. She had won. Nothing could save him now. Their tree was gone. Their hope was gone. She had won.

She couldn't help but smile over the boys' bodies that laid in the top of her obsidian castle in her story. She turned and looked out the window at the sun which was almost set and looked down upon Beatrice resting upon a rock awaiting for Rose or some other team mate unbeknown of that she had already lost. Hawthorn closed her eyes and let the wind flow around her.

A muffled noise from somewhere down in the castle distracted her. She left the window to investigate. She hopped upon her broom and flew down the stairs. She wouldn't need a slide after all.

She reached the obsidian room where she had left Eustis to fight Rose. She frowned as she saw him tied up with vines, "You are lucky Rose did not kill you."

Eustis laughed. It mildly creeped Hawthorn out that he looked like Raven still. "Rose couldn't kill anyone. This was probably the easiest win for the Nevers."

Hawthorn frowned even deeper. He was dimming her glory. "Be quiet while I let you loose, or I shall leave you there."

He kept his mouth shut while her finger glowed and burned at the vines. Eustis shrugged the rest off and stood up.

"Where is Corrin?"

"Probably still stranded where I last saw her."

"You didn't help her?"

"No. I came back to follow Rose to help you."

Hawthorn rubbed her temple, "Well, go get her."

"What about Rose? And Raven?"

"It's over, Eustis. We won."

Eustis blinked, "Can I see?"

Hawthorn hesitated, but then nodded and the two went up the stairs together. (He walked. Hawthorn rode her broom.)

Hawthorn opened the doors and screamed. There were no bodies in the room. "Find them!"

Eustis walked over to the petal covered bed where the imprint of Raven remained. On the pillow was a piece of paper. "Hawthorn, look at this."

Still furious, she snatched it out of his hand and read it out loud, "'Courtesy of the new guardian of the Garden of Good and Evil.'" She frowned. They weren't supposed to be dead yet.

"Do you think it's a trick?"

"I don't know. It is unlike Good to be tricky. That is our virtue."

The castle began to rumble and both Eustis's and Hawthorn's eyes widened with terror as a massive tornado snatched up the castle until the castle came crashing down into the mountains.

Hawthorn looked out into the woods as the bitter mountain air swirled around her and she grinned, "I suppose that answers the question. We're out of the forest, Eustis. It is over."


	11. Chapter 11:Grievances

**\11/**  
 **Grievances**

Clarissa felt a small teardrop fall from her face as the storian scrawled, _The End_ into the storybook. The storian set itself down and the new book closed and drifted to the shelves with the title of _The Obsidian Witch_. It was over. Rose and Raven were gone. Phillip was as well, but he was only a morgrif.

She let out a sigh and turned to find Sophie standing in the window. "Is it finally over?"

Clarissa only nodded and then glided out of the window to her castle for Good. She entered the elegant large doors and walked down the empty hall. It seemed emptier now.

Her soft footsteps echoing off the walls was all she heard as she headed for THE GALLERY OF GOOD. She couldn't help herself. After every story was finished she went to the glass room to see what the woods and the school would add to the collection.

She entered through the large doors and walked in to the beautifully lit room where objects from star students were left out on display. She ignored them and headed for the back. That was where Beatrix's and Chaddick's things showed up.

She walked down and the lighting got worse as she passed hero support. She passed the morgrifs and the light was barely enough for her to read the plaques from a few feet away. She reached the end and immediately spied the new material.

Beside Beatrix's unfinished tube of pink lipstick were a pile of tattered clothing. A small, tarnished bronze sign said, _Rose of Auradale_. Beside that was Raven's sketchbook with the title, _Raven of Glenn_.

* * *

Jack laid in bed while Aurora paced around it. Jack spoke up, "They won't care."

She glared at him, but it wasn't his fault. "I'll make them care."

"You can't make anyone do anything. You won't make them care. They've already cleaned out his room and blotted his existence from the family tree. And when the book comes out they'll probably ban it."

Aurora gritted her false teeth, "He deserves better."

"He found better. He found the boy."

"But now . . ." she rubbed the wrinkles under her eyes and let out a sigh. They had started this conversation from a letter from the School for Good. Aurora and Jack had gotten quite good at watching for doves coming and intercepting them before anyone else could get to them in case something else from Rose came. The one and only letter he had sent had the rest of the castle resentful of the School and they were afraid something might happen to the letter if someone else, mainly Aurora's daughter, would mar it before anyone could read it. And laying on the table beside the window was a letter from the head of the School of Good informing them that Rose had been bested with all of their condolences.

"You should come to sleep, Aurora. Worrying won't change things."

Aurora mumbled under her breath so Jack couldn't hear, "Rose'll be sleeping enough for the both of us." But she got on the bed beside Jack. He blew out the candle and Aurora stared at the ceiling. "Jack?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think he treated him well?"

"I'm sure he did, Aurora. He's a prince, after all."

Aurora's voice went dangerously sharp, "Jack, you know that doesn't mean anything. You know what I went through."

"Right. Sorry. Rose made him sound virtuous and chivalrous. I'm sure he was treated wonderfully."

"I hope so." She heard Jack snoring.

Aurora hobbled down the stairs and went outside past the sleeping guards. She wandered into the gardens and sat down on a bench and looked up to the starry sky and frowned. It was the first time she looked up in the last three years and knew for a surety that Rose would be on his back facing the stars himself.

Perhaps she would call on the house of White. Hopefully they still loved their son.

* * *

Lily, Cedric, and Beatrice were sitting together in front of a cottage Cedric had said was where he had found Rose. The flowers and vegetables crowded on the left of the house and Lily's lake on the right. A wind had come and blown them all here out of the woods. It was over. They had failed.

Lily looked over at the roses surrounding her and buried her face into Cedric's chest and sobbed, "They're gone."

Cedric stroked her back muttering, "It's okay. It's okay."

"We weren't Good enough, were we?"

"Shhhh, it's okay, Lily. It's okay."

Lily still couldn't stop sobbing. Rose and Raven were _gone_. Forever. She felt Beatrice lightly patting her hand with her tiny legs.

"Come, Lily. Let's get you into the lake. It's time." Lily let Cedric help her out and he guided her towards the lake and then she stepped away from him and walked on to the center. She felt the magic of the lake swirling around her. She glanced down below her feet where the water gently rippled where she stood and the stars were distorted from it. Cedric was wrong. It was not 'okay.' It was whatever the opposite of okay was. It may have been what was meant to have been, but it certainly was not okay. But there was nothing they could do now.

But she still couldn't help but think of how they had failed three people. Before Cedric and Lily could get to Phillip, he had been burnt to a pile of ash. Beatrice had done what she could to help Rose, twice. But Lily felt useless. She had opened a door for Rose. And that was it. And now Rose had to be dead. It was the only way a story ended. One nemesis dies.

Lily looked back at the shore where Cedric still stood with a pink butterfly on his shoulder. "I will be fine, Cedric. It is time for sleep. Good night, Cedric. Sleep well." Lily sat down on the lake.

"Good night, Lily. Beatrice and I will just be inside. It will be okay."

Lily only nodded as she laid down on the starry sky.


	12. Chapter 12:Happily Never After

**\12/**  
 **Happily Never After**

Raven's head was in agonizing pain. He thought the death was supposed to be painless. He was supposed to die without agony. Hawthorn said he was to sleep. And he would quietly and peacefully died. He knew it wouldn't be peaceful. Hawthorn had told him her plan. She told him how his useless body would be laid down upon a bed waiting for Rose's demise. Rose had tried to fight it, but the poison rendered him useless.

Raven could only imagine the scene of Rose walking in and seeing Raven laying there. Hawthorn told him two things would happen: either Rose would kiss Raven and take the poison too or she would shoot him with a dart infecting him that way. Every scenario Raven had was of Hawthorn scoffing Rose and then impaling him with a dart.

A voice entered Raven's head. It was distant and it hurt when it entered, "Are you coming to, yet? I haven't got all day."

Raven felt his eyes open slightly but quickly closed them again from the swirling colors. Raven spoke and cringed from the rasp of his voice, "Who's there?" Was the voice just in his head? Was it an angel? He knew it couldn't be both. If it was it would have sounded like Rose.

There was no answer from the voice. Maybe it really was just in his head. Raven tried to shift a little but found his body slow to respond. He opened his eyes once more and stared at the swirls until they settled down. He was surprised to be staring up and clear blue sky.

He slowly tilted his down where he thought he had heard a voice and frowned. There was someone there. Not just anyone, though. It was Hort, the Beauty Slayer. "I'm not dead, am I?"

Raven heard a shift to his left. He slowly rolled over and his eyes lit up.

"Rose!"

There was a groan from Rose and Raven continued to move towards him in slow mothing.

"Don't touch him."

Raven looked to Hort again, "What is going on? What happened?"

"Be quiet, Raven."

"But . . ."

Hort's finger glowed and a gnarled root wrapped itself around Raven's mouth. "I said quiet."

Raven glared at Hort, but there wasn't much Raven could do. He was weak from negligence from Hawthorn. He was sore and groggy from the deep sleep he had just had.

Suddenly, "R-Raven?"

Raven tilted his head towards Rose again. His eyes were still closed and he was pale. Raven looked at Rose's tattered clothing and the healing cuts around his mouth and surrounding his body.

Rose went still again. Hort frowned and crouched down by him. Raven had so many questions to ask, but with the root in his face he couldn't. So he just glared at him.

"Be at ease, Raven. I'm not here to hurt you two. Hawthorn and her team did enough of that." Hort gently took Rose's head and shoved something in his mouth.

Raven tried to protest, but his slow movements and gagged mouth did nothing. He slowly reached for the gag and tore it away. Slowly.

"What is going on? Where are we? What happened to Rose? Why is he cut? Why are you here? Where is Haw—"

"Be _quiet_. Or I'll change my mind and leave the two of you to die out here. I'll answer everything once Rose is awake. I don't want to have to explain everything twice."

Raven went quiet.

"Here, drink this. It should help." Hort passed a goblet with a scarlet liquid in it. Raven sniffed it and slowly put it to his mouth. He got half of it in his mouth. The other half was spilt.

Immediately it felt as if a thousand bolts of fire were streaming through Raven's veins. Raven bit back a scream and all that was left was the ghost of the memory.

Raven blinked and wiggled his fingers. Everything was moving normally now. No more slow motion.

Raven sat up, despite his still swimming head and skootched closer to Rose. "He's alright, though, right?"

Hort only nodded as Rose's eyes opened slightly, "Who-who are you? Why are you purple?"

Raven smiled, "Rose, you don't go around asking people why they are purple." Even though Hort was very much _not_ purple.

Rose's eyes widened, "Raven!" His head slowly turned towards Raven. "You're purple too."

"Rest a little bit more," Hort told him. Rose closed his eyes again.

"What happened?" Rose asked. I looked to Hort.

"Hawthorn won. I brought you out of the Woods and healed you both."

"How?" Raven bit his lip. He didn't mean to interrupt.

"Your morgrif, Philip was the cure. I got to him before Hawthorn's minions burned it down."

Raven waited for more of an explanation but when nothing else was said he asked, "Why would you do it, though?"

A new voice came from behind them, "Because it's hard finding people who are purely good and purely evil. Hort's victory was his downfall."

Hort glared and Raven looked behind and his mouth dropped open, "Agatha?"

The boy beside her interjected, "And Tedros."

"What are you guys _doing_ here? I—I still don't understand."

It was Agatha's turn to try and explain, "When Hort slit the throats of Beatrix and Chaddick Hort realized how petty the quests were. He moved into his Never After and the couple's images haunted him everywhere. This is his coping mechanism. Saving you. Hawthorn still wins, and we'll need to figure out what to do with you, but at least you're still alive."

Rose opened his eyes again and Hort shoved a goblet with the scarlet liquid at him. Hort muttered, "Thank-you for reminding me."

Agatha continued, "The bottom line is this: Sophie and I are still alive and our story ended. We're supporting the life of the losers. You two are fortunate. You are the first ones we've actually successfully saved."

Tedros nudged Agatha, "You said this wouldn't take long. We need to get back before our people start missing their handsome king."

"And beautiful queen," Agatha added.

Tedros nodded, "Of course. They missed you once you set your foot out of the kingdom." He gave Agatha a kiss on the cheek. Hort gagged. "But we best be off. Hort, you can take it from here?"

Hort nodded.

"Great. We'll be off. Best of luck." And then the two were gone.

Hort helped Rose to his feet and Raven stood up as well. "We need to go."

"Where _are_ we going?" Rose asked.

Hort look off into the distance and sighed, "Far, far away." And then he started walking.

* * *

Rose huddled next to Raven as they followed Hort across the lands. No one spoke. No one needed to. They were finally together.

The trip took a long time. The land they were headed for was far away. But Hort did eventually stop and say, "We're here."

Rose frowned at the dark mountains they had wandered into. They had crossed scorching deserts and frigid tundras and every biome in between. But this place felt horribly wrong.

Raven asked the question that was on Rose's mind, "We'll be living here?"

Hort shook his head, "This is an old, cursed mountain. Deep in the heart of it is a portal. That is where I will take you."

Rose looked at Raven uneasily. They would be together, but the portal idea concerned him. A hike down through dark, damp caves led them to a shimmering pool.

"You go in there. You won't be able to come back."

Raven asked, "Is it safe?"

"Safer than if you stay. If Hawthorn finds out you two live she will hunt you down."

Raven nodded and looked to Rose who looked to Raven. They clasped hands and walked into the pool together.

* * *

Rose and Raven held onto each other tightly as they were sucked into a dark vortex that seemed to be trying its hardest to tear them apart. When they came to rest in the darkness the land around them seemed to form. First the base of land in water about 25 meters in diameter. Grass grew instantly. A cottage sprouted out up from the ground and a garden popped up beside it.

"Where are we?" Rose asked.

Raven only shook his head. He had no idea.

Just then a blue woman emerged from the seemingly endless water and floated above it for a moment, "Welcome, Raven and Rose. This is a sanctuary. No one shall join you. No one shall leave. Your eternity has begun."

She started to dip back into the water before Raven interjected, "Wait! Who are you?"

She paused a moment then smiled, "I am the Water Warrior." And then she disappeared back into the water.

Rose looked to Raven, "Wasn't the Water Warrior the Never in the Drowned Sailor?"

Raven only nodded. What had they agreed to?

* * *

The End~

Thank you so much for reading ^_^


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